Bobbin holder



Nov. 27, 1962 R. K. WHITEHEAD, sR., ETAL 3,065,926

BOBBIN HOLDER Filed April 27. 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. 2

FIG]

INVENT ICHAEB K. WHITEHEXDSR.

IQICHAM A BY j:

ATTORNEY K. WHITEHEADJR.

Nov. 27, 1962 J R. K.-WHITEHEA D, sR.. ETAL 3,065,926

BOBBIN HOLDER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 27, 1959 ATTORNEY United States This invention relates to bobbin holders, and is particularly concerned with suspension type bobbin holders in which standard type bobbins for thread, sliver, or rovings are releasably suspended for free rotation from the creel boards or creel rails of spinning machines or the like.

A variety of high developed, intricate and painstakingly designed bobbin holders of the general typereferred to have long been known in the industry. As this industry has developed to become more and more mechanized, in keeping with modern industrial trends wherein speed as well as accuracy is an essential element and wherein time study procedures have dictated a minimum of manual maneuver and effort, the design trend of bobbin holders has been in the direction of self-securing and self-releasing holder constructions automatically operative in response to the manual manipulation of the bobbin in its placement on and removal from the holder. Among the problems confronting the designer of such holders is that of providing such automatic means at minimum cost and without sacrifice of rugged and durable design characteristics.

Movable elements adapted to be operative for the gripping and releasing of the holder must be guarded against defects of operation or undue wear by the ingress of such foreign matter. Since such holders are in use by the hundreds of thousands, one of the overall problems confronting the designer is the production of an effective and efiicient holder, solving the problems above outlined, which will be simple in operation and construction and which is well designed to meet the rigorous demands of economic manufacture in a highly competitive field. In the present invention, these and other related problems of design looking toward the achievement of a novel and improved holder for conventional bobbins are solved by providing a holder which combines with ruggedness, strength and durability the requisite features of operational efficiency and manufacturing economy. The present structure also provides ease and faithfulness of operation in response to the movement of the bobbin, all of these features being achieved with compactness and simplicity of construction in a structure free from danger of undue deterioration by use in an environment frequently containing large quantities of suspended dust, dirt, lint and high humidity.

It is therefore among the objects of the present invention to provide a novel and improved bobbin holder for the free rotary suspension of bobbins which will be simple in construction, efiective and efiicient in operation and well designed to meet the demands of economic manufacture.

A further object of the invention is to provide a bobbin holder having automatically operable means functioning as an incident to the bodily movement of a bobbin to effect positive securement and release thereof in response to such movement which is effectively closed against foreign matter.

Another object is to provide a rotary bobbin catch on the holder with adequate means for insuring a full turn of the catch with each manipulation of the bobbin on the holder.

These and other objects easily recognizable from a reading of the description below are attained in the invention which briefly stated includes a bobbin holder having a bullet shaped tubular rotary member provided with a radius edged solid catch of hexagonal shape and rotary through vertical and horizontal positions of non-holding and holding positions. The holder is provided with a side tripping reciprocatory means for effecting rotation of the catch in 90 stages and means are included to insure a full 90 turn during each stage.

In the accompanying drawing showing, by way of example, one of many possible embodiments of the invention,

FIG. 1 is a front view of the bobbin holder.

FIG. 2 is a diametric cross sectional view of the holder of HG. 1, the section being taken substantially along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows of said line.

FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 are operational views of the catch and reciprocatory means showing stages during movement of the bobbin.

FIGS. 6 and 7 show operational stages during movement of details of the catch.

FIG. 8 is a perspective of a ratchet wheel for turning the catch.

FIG. 9 is a perspective of a detail of the reciprocatory means.

P16. 10 is a perspective of a modification of the detail of FIG. 9.

The bobbin holder generally designated by the numeral 10 includes a normally stationary cap portion 11 secured fast, as by a nut 12 and screw 13, on a creel member such as a rail 14. Included in the holder is a bobbincarrying tube 15 of generally bullet shape with the nose pointing downwardly and made up of mating halves 16 and 17 and pending from the upper portion and mounted for rotary motion on suitable means such as a ball bearing assembly 18.

The tube 15 is best described by reference to upper and lower portions 19 and 2) thereof, the upper portion having therein, as shown, a cylindrical space 21 of large and uniform diameter. A diametric axle pin 22 passes through the lower portion 20 and carries thereon and in the tube an elongated hexagonal rotary catch member 23 for holding a bobbin 24 (FIG. 3) on the tube. The catch is solid and of substantially uniform thickness, having a maximum and minimum width when in horizontal and vertical positions, respectively, so that when the catch rotates on the axle pin it may, in horizontal position, hold the bobbin as in FIG. 3, and in vertical position release the bobbin as in FIG. 5. Vertical slots 24' in the lower por-. tion of the tube permit opposite extreme corner portions 25 of the catch to extend outwardly from the tube, with minimum side clearance, to engage the bobbin when the catch is in horizontal position. In vertical position the catch is substantially within the outer confines of the tube and substantially closes the slots against foreign matter.

To bias the catch to either vertical or horizontal positions, a square cam 26 is provided on a planar face 27 of the catch to rotate therewith. The biasing or snap action is obtained by a bow spring 28 having the midportion 28 bowed toward and engaging the cam as in FIGS. 6 and 7.

The opposite planar face 29 of the catch is provided with a crown ratchet Wheel 30 having four tooth members 31 extending substantially from the axle to the periphery of the wheel and 90 apart. Only the smoothly radiused corner portions 25 of the catch member 23 extend outwardly through the slots 24', the cam 26, spring 28, ratchet wheel 30 and spring 35, all being displaced axially of the member 23 and concealed within the confines of the tube beyond the area of the slots. Thus the advantages of a split or two-part catch are avoided, and dust and other foreign matter can not get to the enclosed actuating mechanism to cause clogging.

The tooth members are slightly under-cut, as at 32, below co-planar flat narrow ridge portions 33 back of which the outer faces are approximately helical as at 34.

It is preferable that the catch, cam and ratchet wheel all be integral. The diameter of the ratchet wheel is less than the minimum width of the catch.

Rotation of the wheel is effected by reciprocatory movement of ratchet-acting leaf spring 35 having a midportion 36 of reduced width provided with a longitudinal slot 37 extending into a lower end portion 38, the end portion having a stud prong 39 at one side thereof and adjacent the slot, projecting from a side face 40 of the spring. The spring has an upper end portion 41 about the width of the lower portion 38 from which depends a side or auxiliary leaf spring 42 in a general direction toward the prong 39, but projecting slightly from the opposite side face 40 of the main leaf spring 35. The auxiliary spring is proxidcd for the purpose of engaging on an inner wall of the tube and gives added bias of the prong against the wheel 30. The upper end portion 41 is provided with a hole 43 for mounting the leaf in a. manner described below. The end 43 of the lower portion 38 may be rounded off to avoid points which might interfere with normal movement and the auxiliary spring bent in reverse at the lower end thereof as at 45 for the same reason.

In another form of invention the spring 35a is similar to spring 35 except the slot of the latter is open at the bottom, the modified slot being shown as 37a and the auxiliary spring 42 is omitted above the stud prong. The open slot 37a leaves a leg 42a whose lower end 44a is bent as at 45a to project from the opposite face of the spring 35a as does the stud prong, and so performs the same function as spring 42, but be located on the opposite side of the slot. Both leaf springs have the same upper portion 41 and hole 43.

The lower portion of the tube has opposite and parallel walls 46 and 47 to which the axle 22 is perpendicular, and walls 48 and 4-9 to which the axle is generally parallel as shown in FIG. 3. Walls 46 and 47 are far enough apart to accommodate the cam 26, catch 23, wheel 30 and leaf spring 35 with a little room to spare to permit normal movement of the leaf spring through whose slot the axle passes.

The bow spring 28 is shown mounted on the wall 49 (FIG. 3) near the cam and the auxiliary spring 42 engages the wall 47 (FIG. 2).

The distance between walls 46 and 47 is less than the inner diameter of the upper tube portion 19 so as to form ledges 50 defining the lower end of the space 21. A slide block 51 movable axially in the space 21 is provided with a stud 52 passing through the hole 43 in the leaf spring and is slidable vertically from the ledges 50. Side lugs 53 fast on the block project out from the tube through vertical slots 54 so that the block may be moved from the exterior. A collar 55 slidable on the tube may be secured to the lugs 53 for convenience. The

slide block and ratchet-acting leaf spring 35 thereon are biased to a low position by a compression spring 56 between the block and a head piece 57 on the tube.

The minimum required length of the spring slot 37, if the axle be the only lateral guide for the spring, de-

pends on the length of movement of the collar, or lugs 53 necessary in order to have ample clearance between the bobbin head 58 and the catch 23 before the latter rotates (FIG. 4) plus sufficient throw by the stud prong 39 on the ratchet wheel 30 to accomplish turning of the latter.

Operation of the device can be easily understood by reference to FIGS. 3-5. In FIG. 3 the bobbin head rests on the horizontally disposed catch 23, and the top face 59 of the bobbin engages a lower frusto-conical face 69 of the collar at the bobbin hole 61 due to pressure of the compression spring 56.

Upon initial upward movement of the bobbin, the collar is pushed up and the bobbin adequately clears the catch, with the slide block, leaf spring and stud prong all moving with the collar, but the stud prong, being normally well below the ratchet wheel, may be just beginning to engage the wheel. Further upward movement turns the catch to the position in FIG. 3 in which engagement of the prong and a tooth member is shown. Slightly more movement gets the cam in or past the position in FIG. 7 and the bow spring snaps the catch to vertical position. The bobbin can now slide downwardly off the holder as shown in FIG. 5, and the collar and other reciprocatory elements return to their low positions.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that instead of operating the catch 23 upon upward movement of the collar 55, the prong 39 may be arranged to operatively engage the ratchet wheel on the down stroke actuated by the then preloaded spring 56 by a single reversal of parts; and that other and further modifications and changes can be made in the single embodiment shown without departing from our invention as set forth in the following claims.

We claim:

1. A bobbin holder comprising an elongated tubular member, an elongated catch member in the tubular member and rotatable about an axis diametric thereof to normally horizontal locking and vertical unlocking positions, the length of the catch member being greater than and the width substantially less than the outer diameter of the tubular member, a slidable member having a part outer of the tubular member and adapted for reciprocatory movement longitudinal thereof, said catch member having engagement ridge portions on one side thereof radial from said axis, and a strip facing said one side of said catch member and lying substantially in a plane to which said axis is perpendicular and mounted on the slidable member for flexing movement along said axis, and provided with a projection extending from said strip and plane to engage said ridge portions.

2. A bobbin holder comprising a tubular member having longitudinal slots diametrically opposite each other, an elongated catch member rotatable in the tubular member about an axis substantially diametric thereof to horizontal locking and vertical unlocking positions and adapted to project through said slots in locking position, a ratchet wheel beside the catch member within the tubular member and rotatable with the catch member, a thin strip mounted for reciprocatory movement between a wall of said tubular member and said ratchet wheel and substantially lying within a plane to which said axis is perpendicular, the strip being provided with a projection from a face thereof and adapted for movement along said axis to engage the wheel.

3. In a bobbin holder, a tube and catch member thereon rotary to locking and unlocking positions, a ratchet crown wheel for turning the member, and a thin strip carrying a pawl adapted to engage the wheel, said strip lying generally in a plane to which the axis of rotation of the catch member is perpendicular for flexing movement along said axis, and means to impart reciprocatory motion to the strip.

4. In a bobbin holder, a tube and catch member thereon rotary to locking and unlocking positions, a ratchet crown wheel on one side of said catch member for turning the member, and a thin strip mounted for movement along the axis of rotation of said catch member and carrying a pawl adapted to engage the wheel, said strip living generally in a plane to which the axis of rotation of the catch member is perpendicular, means to impart reciprocatory motion to the strip, and means on the other side of said catch member for biasing the catch member to full locking and full unlocking positions substantially equally, said tube being slotted to permit the catch member to project therethrough in locking position.

5. A bobbin holder comprising a tubular member closed at each end, a catch member always lying in a plane substantially diametric of the tubular member and adapted to V rotate to locking and unlocking positions, a reciprocatory leaf spring strip in the tubular member and lying to one side of the catch member in a plane adjacent to and parallel with the plane of the catch member, said strip being mounted for axial flexing movement with respect to said catch member, and confronting ratchet means on the strip and catch member for converting reciprocatory motion of the strip to rotary motion of the catch member.

6. A bobbin holder comprising a tube having slots therein, an axle substantially diametric across the tube, a rotary catch member on the axle and adapted to be turned to vertical unlocking and horizontal locking positions for projection through said slots in the locking position, a reciprocatory strip mounted for flexing movement along said axle between a wall of the tube and said catch member and lying substantially in a plane to which said axle is perpendicular and provided with a longitudinal slot through which the axle passes, and ratchet means on the catch member and strip for converting reciprocatory motion of the strip to rotary motion of the catch member, said ratchet means being within the confines of said tube and axially displaced from the area of said slots.

7. A bobbin holder comprising a round tubular casing provided with flat parallel inner walls in a part thereof, a rotary catch member between the walls, an axle perpendicular to the wall and carrying the catch member and a crown ratchet wheel thereon, and a ratchet member reciprocatory in the casing between one wall thereof and said catch member and in the form of a strip the plane of which is parallel with the walls and having an end portion provided with a projection to engage the wheel, said strip having a long prong in the mid portion thereof to engage said one wall and urge the strip along said axle toward the wheel.

8. A bobbin holder comprising a round tubular casing provided with flat parallel inner walls in a part thereof, a rotary catch member between the walls, an axle perpendicular to the walls and carrying the catch member and a crown ratchet wheel thereon, and a ratchet member reciprocatory in the casing betwen one wall thereof and said catch member and in the form of a strip the plane of which is parallel with the walls and having an end portion provided with a projection to engage the wheel, said strip having a long prong in the mid portion thereof to engage against said one wall and urge the strip along said axle toward the wheel, said strip having a longitudinal slot therein, the axle passing through the slot.

9. A bobbin holder as claimed in claim 8, said prong and projection being on the same lateral side of the slot.

10. A bobbin holder as claimed in claim 9, said slot being closed at both ends.

11. In a bobbin holder, a tubular casing, a solid hexagonal catch with radiused edges and being of substantially constant thickness between faces thereof and mounted for rotation about a diameter axis of the casing, a crown ratchet wheel on a side face of the catch coaxial therewith and having four equally spaced tooth members, and a leaf spring ratchet strip axially flexible with respect to said catch and axially spaced from said catch and lying substantially in a plane parallel with said faces and having a part operatively engaging said crown ratchet wheel.

12. In a bobbin holder, a tubular casing, a hexagonal catch of substantially constant thickness between side faces thereof and in the casing and mounted for rotation about a diametric axis of the casing, a crown ratchet wheel on one side face of the catch coaxial therewith and having four equally spaced tooth members, and a ratchet pawl and leaf spring strip for carrying same facing said one side face of the catch and lying substantially in a plane with said faces, said leaf spring being axially flexible with respect to said catch, said pawl operatively engaging said crown ratchet wheel for rotating the same, and means adjacent the other side face of the catch for equally biasing the catch in four positions apart.

13. A holder as claimed in claim 12, said casing having a substantially flat inner wall parallel with the axis of the catch and wheel, said means for biasing the catch including a square cam on the catch and a bow spring disposed against said flat inner wall and bowed in the mid portion thereof toward and against the cam.

14. A holder as claimed in claim 12, including a slidable collar on the casing, and means connecting the collar and ratchet strip.

15. A bobbin holder comprising an elongated tubular member, an elongated catch member in the tubular member and rotatable about an axis diametric thereof to normally horizontal locking and vertical unlocking positions, the length of the catch member being greater than and the width substantially less than the outer diameter of the tubular member, a slidable member having a part outer of the tubular member and adapted for reciprocatory movement longitudinal thereof, said catch member having engagement ridge portions outstanding on one side thereof radial from said axis, a leaf strip facing said one side of said catch member and lying substantially in a plane to which said axis is perpendicular and mounted at one end on the slidable member for flexing movement along said axis, and provided with a projection adjacent the other end and extending from said strip and plane to engage said ridge portions, and a long prong in the mid portion of said strip for biasing said strip against said ridge portions.

16. In a bobbin holder, a tubular casing, a hexagonal catch of substantially constant thickness between side faces thereof and in the casing and mounted for rotation about a diametric axis of the casing, a crown ratchet wheel on one side face of the catch coaxial therewith and having four equally spaced tooth members, a ratchet pawl and leaf spring strip for carrying same facing said one side face of the catch and lying substantially in a plane parallel with said faces, said leaf spring being axially flexible with respect to said catch, said pawl being operatively arranged to engage said crown ratchet wheel for rotating the same, means adjacent the other side face of the catch independent of said leaf spring strip for equally biasing the catch in four positions 90 apart, and a long prong in the mid portion of said strip arranged to engage an inner wall of said casing and bias said strip against said crown ratchet wheel.

17. In a bobbin holder, a longitudinally split two-part tubular casing closed at both ends, a hexagonal catch of substantially constant thickness between side faces thereof and in the casing and mounted for rotation about a diametric axis of the casing, a crown ratchet wheel on one side face of the catch coaxial therewith and having four equally spaced tooth members, and a ratchet pawl and leaf spring strip for carrying same facing said one side face of the catch and lying substantially in a plane parallel with said faces, said leaf spring resting upon said wheel and being axially flexible with respect to said catch, said pawl being operatively arranged to engage said crown ratchet wheel for rotating the same and to disengage said wheel 7 between successive rotary movement, and means adjacent the other side face of the catch independent of said leaf spring strip for equally biasing the catch in four positions 90 apart.

18. In a bobbin holder, a tubular casing, a hexagonal catch of substantially constant thickness between side faces thereof and in the casing and mounted for rotation about a diametric axis of the casing, a crown ratchet wheel on one side face of the catch coaxial therewith and having four equally spaced tooth members, a ratchet pawl and leaf spring strip for carrying same facing said one side face of the catch and lying substantially in a plane parallel with said faces, said leaf spring being axially flexible with respect to said catch, said pawl being arranged to operatively engage said crown ratchet wheel for rotating the same, and means adjacent the other side face of the catch independent of said leaf spring strip for equally biasing the catch in four positions 90 apart.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,095,518 Casablancas Oct. 12, 1937 2,408,674 Noguera Oct. 1, 1946 2,872,127 Spencer Feb. 3, 1959 2,922,597 Banfield et a1. Jan. 26, 1960 

